Wellington Place

Wellington Place is a very large development that will include a large public space and several striking buildings. A key feature of the large square will be the old Victorian railway building that served the railways so long ago when Leeds was growing during the Industrial Revolution.

Constuction has already begun and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister building is nearing completion.

Data

No. of floors - 15
Height -
Building type - Mixed use
Year of construction - 2005
Architect - Carey Jones Architects
Developer - Hermes & St James Securities
Location - Wellington Place

http://www.leeds-cityscape.co.uk/WellingtonPlace.jpg

Wellington Place Website (http://wellingtonplace.co.uk/www/default.asp)

Leeds really is going to be amazing in 10 years time!

I dont know why everyone, or alot of people outside the region, think (still) that Leeds is a small city, or at least smaller than places like Liverpool, Manchester...etc which doesnt have much going for it. I wish the media would give more coverage into the developments. I'm sure if everyone knew about these sort of developments, people would flock to Leeds like never before. I heard somewhere that Leeds' tourist figures out did York's for the first time ever last year though. Some people dont even know about millennium square still.

Liverpool and Manchester (Manchester especially) doesnt have much going for it??

are you on crack mate?

But i do know what you mean in regards to Leeds, obviously skyscraper and development fanatics will know about the new Leeds look, but most people have no idea unless they actually come and see for themselves.

no no I mean people think Leeds hasnt got much going for it in comparison to Liverpool and Manchester.

Also that square is rather god and the 16 storey tower is pretty good too! Should be a welcome addition to the skyline.

I dont know why everyone, or alot of people outside the region, think (still) that Leeds is a small city, or at least smaller than places like Liverpool, Manchester...etc which doesnt have much going for it.

:hilarious Just when I thought that LN1 was starting to make some sensible comments, he's back off on one again!

Edit: Sorry LN1, just read your reply, I take it back!

I dont know why everyone, or alot of people outside the region, think (still) that Leeds is a small city, or at least smaller than places like Liverpool, Manchester...etc which doesnt have much going for it. I wish the media would give more coverage into the developments. I'm sure if everyone knew about these sort of developments, people would flock to Leeds like never before. I heard somewhere that Leeds' tourist figures out did York's for the first time ever last year though. Some people dont even know about millennium square still.

I'd say the opposite. I travel extensively with my work and can honestly say that most people that I talk to have a very positive view of Leeds. Most people travel enough to have either been to Leeds recently or know someone who has. I very rarely speak to anyone who has the old stereotypical view of Leeds as a grim northern city.

Working at Leeds Bradford International Airport, I have had many conversations with people about the developments in Leeds. All the feedback has been positive. Many people have said "Leeds really is the place to be." On the other hand, having got friends in Manchester, I visit them quiet alot, and their attitude towards Leeds is not as popular!

Photo from a couple of months back of the old sheds at the River Aire end of the site. These have now been demolished to make way for block 3 and the two residential blocks.

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/2033/img00796pt.jpg

There's now a lot of preliminary building activity in the area where those sheds were as can be well seen from Whitehall Road.

Park the car in Aireside this arvo and saw pretty much everything shut down. I think there was a sofa shop and what looked like a place flogging disco equipment, but apart from that fairly dead. Wellington building 2 is coming along, nearly finished with the plastic shrouding gradually coming off. Can see the railway lift here, and get a feel for the scope of the proposals when viewed in conjunction with the render on ps60's first post of the thread.

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/5687/img01570tr.jpg

P.S. The sheds at the far end are all down and Quarmby appear to preparing foundations and drainage. Hope this is a sign that further work is to start.

Although I love Soundcontrol and all its contents, will that be biting the dust? That shed park is a blight on that thar road.

dgnr8 - have a look at this site.....

Wellington Place (http://wellingtonplace.co.uk/www/default.asp)

shows the master plan and what's proposed. The entire Aireside retail park will be raised to the ground and rebuilt over the next 10 years.

Ah thanks for that, I should've used my loaf. Apologies.

I thought I'd dig a couple more Wellington Place images out of the website to rebuild the thread after the hacking.

Here's the masterplan:

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/7124/masterplan022zn.jpg

I think this is block 9 on the left hand side looking towards blocks 7 and 8 and the river at the end of the boulevard

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/2571/wellington28lr.jpg

Looking towards the old lifting tower and the residential apartment in Block 10. Goes to shows the blocks are all about 7-8 storeys high and dwarf the lifting tower which you can see in post 11 of this thread

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/5205/wellington37mg.jpg

As much as some new builds might not be as good as restored old buildings such as the electrict press and holbeck urban village, but this is one development which I think is hood and should improve the city. Theres not much which can be improved here anyway, it can only get better.

As much as some new builds might not be as good as restored old buildings such as the electrict press and holbeck urban village, but this is one development which I think is hood and should improve the city. Theres not much which can be improved here anyway, it can only get better.
There'll still be the restored lifting tower there, which has stood derelict for decades, and hopefully be converted into a bar.

Yes I know. But thats about it. I like that building, but I dont think it fits in with the surrounding buildings. But who knows, maybe it will. After all there is a contrast of different ages buildings in Millennium Square too.

Yes I know. But thats about it. I like that building, but I dont think it fits in with the surrounding buildings. But who knows, maybe it will. After all there is a contrast of different ages buildings in Millennium Square too.
The fact that the lifting tower will be a standalone building will help to make it fit in better with its surroundings.

I'd hate to be a bore, however i came across this photo from 1980 showing a view from Whitehall road. The block in shadow is the stone lifting tower that will form the focal point of the new Wellington Place scheme.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/dwebdale/images/donations/D.Walbank%20LeedsCentralStation.jpg

good lord, its like some post apocalyptic scene! Guess that's when the old station and factory buildings were removed to allow the erection of the Aireside Retail Park - a typical 1980s blot, but to be frank, a good space filler for a couple of decades until proper City Centre regeneration got underway.

How old are you Ted?

How old are you Ted?

A slightly confusing question. For me, anyway.
I would have been conceived shortly after the photo was taken.

A slightly confusing question. For me, anyway.
I would have been conceived shortly after the photo was taken.

well obviously Ted's dead, but I wasn't sure if you were extant when the said photo was taken, or if indeed whether it was taken by your good self.

Thank the lord they kept the lifting tower. A good piece of history to integrate into the current developments!

Anybody remember the Jolly Green Giant toy store (well that's what I remember it was as being called)

Anybody remember the Jolly Green Giant toy store (well that's what I remember it was as being called)

Yes. Although it's hard to believe it actually existed in the place we now know as Leeds, and not some benign childhood fantasy world. (which is why the photo is quite shocking)

The old sheds backing onto the Aire have all gone now and it seems like they (Quarmby) are putting some basic sewerage and facilities in place prior to Wellington Place starting in earnest.

http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/6559/img02960yr.jpg

Wow! I don't think I've ever "seen" City Island from Whitehall Road...

Wow! I don't think I've ever "seen" City Island from Whitehall Road...

Yes it looks almost decent from there !

City Island is a decent terracotta development. The penthouses, curved shapes, rising height and 'crown' make it look good.

City Island is a decent terracotta development. The penthouses, curved shapes, rising height and 'crown' make it look good.

Leeds No 1 - I sometimes think you are little too uncritical. :)

Its alright, but not great.

Your joking aren't you ?

I love City Island, it's one of my favourate completed developments in Leeds. It looks great coming in by train and often inspires comments from first time visitors to Leeds looking out trhe train windows as we arrive in Leeds.

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/856CityIsland_pic1.jpg

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/855CityIsland_pic1.jpg

Images from Skyscrapernews.com

Are the penthouses clad in that nasty plastic stuff or alluminium (edit:just seen the new photos, looks to be rendered from close up) ? It's an alright building, I'm sure in 50 years time it will just blend in with all the other bland developments around the city. If it was copper clad and didn't have those nasty penthouses on top it would be a bit of a stunner. I quite like the shape though.

The penthouses are the best bit. It paints the future of affordable city living. Projects like BWP are great but pretty expensive and unique. Things like City Island, and The Gateway will be the future- apartment complexes around central piazzas., in lots of little quarters.

The gateway, affordable?

The penthouses are the best bit. It paints the future of affordable city living.

Penthouses - affordable? :?

the affordable wasn't directly reffering to penthouses. The point was though, is that they (apartments/studios/smartpads) are more affordable than places like BWP, and as they become more common the price will come down. To start with anyway, you need more money to live in Leeds than other cities I suspect.
Smartpads are affordable anyway...

Studios in developments like city island and blue are around £400 - £500 a month, rent only.

I thought city island was apartments and penthouses only, not studios? I think theres studios in K2. One development had smart pads, I think it was the plaza or something but I can't remember, I'll try and find out, but I remember them being marketed as good for people who wanted to start out on the city living property ladder, being compact, affordable and simple. They were pretty much normal flats, rather than fully done to the highest quality riverside like apartments.

Theres studios in city island aswell. Beleive me. Quite a few of the new developments have studios and 1 bed flats.

Almost all do.

Yes but most are very expensive

indeed, prices for new Green bank: all starting prices; studio-£105k; 1bed-£146k; 2bed-£196k; 3bed-? parking available for all 1,2,3 bed apartments@£20k

Saw the model recently - looks awesome.
Am informed Marketing suite to be started soon. (site on left of Globe road that has just recently been cleared and levelled)

Doesn't sound too bad pricing compared to other expensive developments, further into the city centre, even though it is still quite expensive.

Not too bad? Sounds very exspensive to me. Considering you can pick up studios for 80k, 1 beds for 120k and 2 beds for 150k.

where? It would be interesting to know..

1 bed (although a tiny one), 99,500

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-4858103.rsp?pa_n=5&tr_t=buy

1 bed 120,000

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-9322217.rsp?pa_n=10&tr_t=buy

2 bed 138, 950

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-4412338.rsp?pa_n=15&tr_t=buy

They are quite pricey compared to the second hand market. There will be the green space outsides, but unless these apartments are signifficantly bigger than the average apartment, I can't see much justifacation for the price. Of course a 2 bed on floor 30 will carry a premium, but they are going to have to make there apartments under floor 15 quite special to achieve that price.

K2 had similar prices though, and their apartments sold very swift, but K2 was in a much better location.

More from the latest Estates Gazette. The recently completed 2 Wellington Place has its first tenants.

http://www.wellingtonplace.co.uk/images/image_gallery/5.jpg

Bentley Jennison, an accounting firm, is to take 25,000 sq ft in the 120,000 sq ft building at £22 per sq ft. Let's hope this gives Hermes and St James Securities the fillip they need to start the next phase of the development.

Is anything going to happen to that bridge that crosses the canal and then just appruptly ends? It's quite a fine old structure and could easily be incorporated by providing steps to get onto it.

It has been mentioned that this might incorporate part of the connection between Wellington Place and City Island.
Work will only begin once Wellington Place is finished as currently is only a building site on North side of the river.

More from the latest Estates Gazette. The recently completed 2 Wellington Place has its first tenants.

http://www.wellingtonplace.co.uk/images/image_gallery/5.jpg

Bentley Jennison, an accounting firm, is to take 25,000 sq ft in the 120,000 sq ft building at £22 per sq ft. Let's hope this gives Hermes and St James Securities the fillip they need to start the next phase of the development.

bit of a snippet from Property Week which I can't access, but tantalising regarding the new joint venture partners for Wellington Place:

MEPC steps into Arlington's shoes with Hermes in LeedsProperty Week | 17.03.2006

New chief Rick de Blaby scores first big venture: the 22 acre mixed-use Wellington Place

This link from the Hermes website now confirms MEPC's participation

Hermes (http://www.hermes.co.uk/real_estate/real_estate_commercial.htm)

'We recognise the changing business environment where our customers require flexibility in modern, well-specified accommodation. We therefore seek to invest in offices, business parks and industrial estates that meet these requirements. As part of our asset improvement process, we also develop suitable opportunities such as Wellington Place, Leeds where we are currently seeking planning consent for 2.4m sq ft of mixed-use development.

Hermes' clients also invest in indirect property opportunities. These are primarily UK Limited Partnerships, joint ventures and corporate entities. Included in this is our investment in MEPC which has now evolved to being one of the leading business space providers in the UK.

Still doesn't say when the next phase of construction will start. Also, I though it had planning permission granted already. Good lord, keep up Jimbo!

Full story.http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/159303.html


MEPCS NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE, RICK de Blaby, this week secured a 1bn [pounds sterling] joint venture development in Leeds with Hermes.

MEPC has been selected as Hermes' partner at the Wellington Place mixed-use scheme, southwest of Leeds' core office area, after an agreement with original partner Arlington Securities fell through.



Hermes and MEPC are committed to a 10-year programme that will create more than 2.7m sq ft (250,835 sq m) of office-led development that will also include 500 homes and 107,640 sq ft (10,000 sq m) of retail at one of Leeds' prime city centre sites.

The 22 acre (9 ha) site has outline planning consent for 14 plots that will be developed speculatively and as prelets.

Arlington was the frontrunner to be Hermes' partner last summer, Property Week reported in July (news 01.07.05), but the partnership never came to fruition.

Keith Bugden, development director at Hermes, said: 'We were in advance discussions with Arlington but didn't manage to reach a financial agreement with them.

'In the meantime MEPC strengthened as an organisation. It became apparent that they had become a very strong candidate.'

MEPC, like Hermes, is owned by the BT Pension Scheme, but MEPC's appointment as partner was by no means a foregone conclusion.

'To use [de Blaby's] words, when do you ever get the opportunity to regenerate 22 acres in one holding?' said Bugden. 'So he pulled outall the stops to convince us he was the ideal candidate to work withus.

'MEPC has a very strong management structure, enhanced by the recent appointments of Peter Freeman and Alan Chert/ as non-executive directors.'

Freeman was the co-founder of Argent, also owned by the BT PensionScheme, while Cherry is the chairman of Countryside Properties, where de Blaby worked until 2003.

'The team at MEPC has enormous experience in mixed-use urban regeneration projects and we have every intention of delivering a world-class showpiece for the city of Leeds,' de Blaby said.

Part of Wellington Place has already been built: Benson House, No 1 Wellington Place, and the 119,000 sq ft (11,055 sq m) 2 Wellington House, which was completed last week.

Bugden confirmed advanced negotiations with occupiers were taking place for the speculative office building.

Phase two of the scheme is undergoing design consultations, which concentrate on street and public space improvements.

I thought I'd dig a couple more Wellington Place images out of the website to rebuild the thread after the hacking.

Here's the masterplan:

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/7124/masterplan022zn.jpg

I think this is block 9 on the left hand side looking towards blocks 7 and 8 and the river at the end of the boulevard

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/2571/wellington28lr.jpg

Looking towards the old lifting tower and the residential apartment in Block 10. Goes to shows the blocks are all about 7-8 storeys high and dwarf the lifting tower which you can see in post 11 of this thread

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/5205/wellington37mg.jpg

Carey Jones website comes up trumps for renders time and again...
They have the same masterplan as above, rendered slightly differently;

http://www.careyjones.co.uk/images/upload/arch_urbmast_lrg/wellington_410_03.jpg

and a shot of a lit 3D model;

http://www.careyjones.co.uk/images/upload/arch_urbmast_lrg/wellington_410_01.jpg

A night time shot of the historical setting;

http://www.careyjones.co.uk/images/upload/arch_urbmast_lrg/1_wellington%20place_410.jpg


Wellington Place, Leeds

Client MEPC
Status Ongoing
Construction Cost ₤300 million

The urban design and master planning for Wellington Place was the second major project that their client had entrusted to Carey Jones Architects.

The proposal was to master plan and design a mixed use development incorporating offices, residential units, restaurants, cafes along with a public square over the 14 acres of riverside land. This scheme creates one of the largest new city centre business quarters in Europe, incorporating 250, 000 sq m (2.7 million sq ft) of mixed use development.

Working closely with Leeds City Council and CABE, Carey Jones developed a framework plan which will create a new City Quarter with its own identity, whilst ensuring physical and visual links to the City are created. The scheme both informed and was informed by the emerging Urban Renaissance planning for the City.

The result will be a high density inner city urban development that will be extremely desirable for both tenants and occupiers. It will fulfil Government and Leeds City Council’s requirement to be sustainable and integrate with the surrounding area and community.

Wellington Place will deal with a number of key issues:
· Creation of high density mixed use scheme
· Creation of new quarter of Leeds with a true sense of place
· Effectively knitting the phasing into a logical framework
· Utilise historical elements to inform and enhance the new
· Identify simple and clear highways access whilst creating a fully pedestrianised quarter
· Enhance connectivity within and beyond the site, effectively knitting into the city fabric
source
(http://www.careyjones.co.uk/portfolio/details.php?page_id=471)

I hope there is a re-design for this bland yet important development. It should be as uplifting a place to work in as BrindleyPlace in Birmingham, but a bit sexier.

http://www.birminghamuk.com/BrumFoto/brindleyplace/brindleyview5.jpg

I generally think its OK actually- I would agree its a bit bland though but its not bad. Its just all a bit the same with little variety between the buildings- the image I have seen on Wellington Place though looks quite good, with the 16 storey triangular building against other glass buildings and the rail thing in the middle. But it looks ok to me...

[QUOTE=Leeds No.1]I generally think its OK actually - I would agree its a bit bland though but its not bad. Its just all a bit the same with little variety /QUOTE]


Make your mind up No. 1

Sometimes No.1 I wonder if you think before you flash your fingers across the keyboard...

I know what he means, the bulk of building blocks are all about the same height which gives a bland impression to the overall scheme.

I wonder how long the whole project will take to complete ? at current rates of about two blocks per decade it'll be approaching the 22nd century before the last one goes up.

I know what he means, the bulk of building blocks are all about the same height which gives a bland impression to the overall scheme.

I wonder how long the whole project will take to complete ? at current rates of about two blocks per decade it'll be approaching the 22nd century before the last one goes up.

I am sure I read somewhere some time ago that 2012 would be completion date.
MFI have some time to go yet with their lease.

I am sure I read somewhere some time ago that 2012 would be completion date.
MFI have some time to go yet with their lease.

the riverside end of the site is vacant and the sheds went last year with Shepherd doing ancilliary groundworks etc. No sign of anything going upwards though. I do wonder why its taking so long to get going, if they hang around much longer the office element will be usurped by HBG who seem to be making positive moves on the Monksbridge Forge site, and who have said they will build speculatively.

All in, the Wellington Place scheme could be excellent, it was designed as a Leeds version of Brindley Place, but I hope the residential elements to be integrated will provide a more dynamic feel to the place especially at weekends.

In 6 years time, Whitehall Road could be completely transformed - will be an amazing site with Lumiere at the bottom the two big schemes either side (TCS and Wellington Place) capped by Globe Road and a possible tower at Monksbridge Forge. Gobsmacking I'd say.

Wish there was a town planner's render for this part of the city in that kind of timescale. Hell - I wish there was one for the whole of Leeds!

Wish there was a town planner's render for this part of the city in that kind of timescale. Hell - I wish there was one for the whole of Leeds!

I don't want to raise hopes at Wellington Place, soon to be renamed Snail's Place Central. But...........a couple of excavators were on site today. When I went to snoop, I saw that one was occupying itself spreading what looked like topsoil against the boundary wall separating the site from Gulag Yorkshire Post next door. There was also some drilling taking place, presumably for soil sampling to take place.

Fingers crossed on this one.

I don't want to raise hopes at Wellington Place, soon to be renamed Snail's Place Central. But...........a couple of excavators were on site today. When I went to snoop, I saw that one was occupying itself spreading what looked like topsoil against the boundary wall separating the site from Gulag Yorkshire Post next door. There was also a drilling rig on site, presumably for soil sampling to take place.

Fingers crossed on this one, hoping that MEPC's involvement is going to breathe some life into Wellington Street.

I just think that the renders of this project show it to be a waste, just more short glass blocks. With Lumiere now on its way this is a prime sopt to help prevent lumiere from looking obscure as its on its own. There's easily enough space for another scraper. The only thing i like about this project is that there is a square and that they are preserving that railway tower.

I generally like this project actually; I mean I know what you mean about blocky though. And yes it would be nice to see another skyscraper. The 12 storey building (or is it 16?) triangular one, could be increased in height. I think there should be some more retail though.

Even so, the block behind that trin tower looks too much like that ugly part of LGI on millenium square and might age fairly quickly. Also why are there loads of cheesy abstract nouns written all over that other building. Is it to give Leeds a less of a rough reputation?

wow 500 million pounds???why do you lot always claim nothing is happening in your city

so how far through is this development

why are there loads of cheesy abstract nouns written all over that other building. Is it to give Leeds a less of a rough reputation?

It's been suggested that the building may be utilized as a cultural space.


http://www.careyjones.co.uk/images/upload/arch_urbmast_lrg/2_wellington%20place_410.jpg

http://www.careyjones.co.uk/images/upload/arch_urbmast_lrg/wellington_410_03.jpg

It's been suggested that the building may be utilized as a cultural space.


http://www.careyjones.co.uk/images/upload/arch_urbmast_lrg/wellington_410_03.jpg

I believe CAJ are no longer involved with this project...so whether that will still be the case or not I don't know.

I believe CAJ are no longer involved with this project...so whether that will still be the case or not I don't know.

Tres bien. Hopefully we'll have some architecture from the school of bling design rather than the bland design that currently shames Whitehall Riverside.

Whilst this development is going at a snails pace and would wish it would proceed at a quicker pace wouldn't a possible silver lining be that towards the end of this development they would propose a skyscraper perhaps certainly to give this a focal point for this development and preferably by a decent architect to give this an identity as opposed to just a load of low rise offices. Also when is the next phase due to start?

Also wasn't that old train lift proposed to be a restaurant in the constrcution of the Aireside centre in the 1980s but never opened? Will it finally be used when the site is developed?

they could buildthe Kite tower hear, that would make it impressive

Bridge House site? For Kite Tower; or a number of sites south of the city. I don't see why it would be difficult for them to find a site for it; the main issue would be that if they don't hurry up, the market will get saturated.

That is true and i would really like the Kite tower to be built. could they change it to nearly all office

I fancy Kite tower for Quarry Hill to the front of the NHS HQ, OR as the tower for Eastgate/Harewood where the old ABC was (if site permits). Not much tower-wise to the East of the city...

One thing i really like about this project is that it isnt full of red brick renders like many of the other projects in Leeds

http://www.wellingtonplace.co.uk/www/urbandesign/beach.htm

seems to have been updated with a nice model render and some information about a beach??!!!:nuts:

and.............


Hermes Real Estate has secured the first letting at a speculative office building in Leeds to chartered accountants Bentley Jennison


20.09.2006

By Jonathan Brasse

Hermes announced today that the firm was to move from its offices on St Paul’s Street to 17,580 sq ft (1,633 sq m) of office space at the 119,000 sq ft (11,055 sq m) scheme, 2 Wellington Place.

Bentley Jennison has signed a 15-year lease at a rent of £24/ sq ft (£258.34/ sq m) and will be able to move next month. St James Securities is the development manager on the scheme.

The building has a value of £45m and forms part of Hermes’ 2.7m sq ft (250,836 sq m) mixed-use regeneration scheme to the southwest of the city centre. In March it appointed MEPC as development partner before committing to a 10-year development programme.

DTZ and Knight Frank are the letting agents on the scheme.

http://www.property-week.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=3073897

So maybe they will have the confidence to build some more of the blocks................... probably not....

http://www.wellingtonplace.co.uk/www/urbandesign/beach.htm

seems to have been updated with a nice model render and some information about a beach??!!!:nuts:

Great find, mate. Few changes from previous CJ masterplan, hope they will progress faster now with the arrival of MEPC (i.e. big money).

When you go to that website and click on master plan, you see a series of 3D models of the area - which include Criterion Place, Lumiere, City Island 2 and Spiracle...

Whitehall Boulevard will stretch through this regeneration and start by the 171m tower on Lumiere; should be an amazing walk down this road if it goes to plan!

.......and here are the renders

View from above
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/masterplan_overhead.jpg

View from rail line looking North
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/masterplan_overhead-mast-04.jpg

View from Park Sq. looking South East
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/masterplan_overhead-mast-05.jpg

View from International Swimming Pool looking South
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/masterplan_overhead-mast-06.jpg

View from viaduct looking East
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/masterplan_overhead-mast-07.jpg

View from train station looking North West
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/masterplan_overhead-masterp.jpg

looks like the 38 storey Monkbridge Forge Tower is on there :uh:

Those tall buildings at the west point end of the site are new aren't they? look to be around a similar height to west point as well.

looks like the 38 storey Monkbridge Forge Tower is on there :uh:

I think that is just a representation of the monkbridge forge site as the 38 storey tower isnt part of it anymore, it's a series of towers ranging from (17?) storeys to 25 storeys which is what I think they have tried to show.
Also on there are Granary Wharf 22 storey circular tower, and some taller loooking blocks on Whitehall Riverside. Also, of course, there's Greenbank, Criterion, Lumiere and Spiracle. Shame Bridge House isnt going ahead as there would have been nice continuity from Greenbank through Monkbridge Forge all the way to Spiracle. :bash:

Also, thanks for capturing the pics Jebus, I'm inept at using computers so didnt know how to do it. You forgot the beach pictures though, they were my favourite part of the site!! :lol:

Can just envisage all the legal workers coming down form their offices to take a quick dip in the Aire at lunch :lol:

Here ya go Even Flow "The Beach". This proposal is abit random to say the least, why did they have to call it the beach and what are water stairs? And why do they have stadium steps, is there gonna be a stadium here? There even have a lift to the viaduct. Its all abit crazy for me

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/beach_sliced_02.gif

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/beach_sliced_02-beach_sl-04.gif

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/beach_sliced_02-beach_sl-05.gif

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/beach_sliced_02-beach_slice.gif

Here's also the sketches from the site

Aerial view of the beach
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/illustrations_test_02.gif

View west along 'urban street' towards river and new bridge
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/illustrations_test_02-illus.gif]

View south across tower square
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/illustrations_test_02-il-05.gif

View south along street towards beach
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/illustrations_test_02-il-06.gif

View of 'Beach and east along 'Whitehall Boulevard'
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/illustrations_test_02-il-07.gif

View West along 'Urban Street' towards river and new bridge
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/illustrations_test_02-illus.gif

I do believe Brisbane has a beach next to it's river?...
I like the sketch of the wedge shaped building...

Perth has a few beaches on its river, and I believe evert summer in Paris they import a whole beach on the banks of the Seine!

Perth has a few beaches on its river, and I believe evert summer in Paris they import a whole beach on the banks of the Seine!

It has to be said, there is a small difference between being on a beach in Peth and one along the dge of the River Aire in central Leeds :lol:
Seriously though, I like the fact that there seems to be some attention to the outdoor spaces as well as the buildings, which seems to be something lacking from some other developments, such as Whitehall Riverside. It will also link nicely to Monksbridge who are going to tidy up there side of the river I believe. (Or canal, I cant remember off hand).

I've only just noticed from the renders that the masterplan is competely different, I wonder who are now masterplanning, and whether they'll bring a bit more flair. Great if it was someone exciting like Make......

Here ya go Even Flow "The Beach". This proposal is abit random to say the least, why did they have to call it the beach and what are water stairs? And why do they have stadium steps, is there gonna be a stadium here? There even have a lift to the viaduct. Its all abit crazy for me

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/beach_sliced_02.gif

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/beach_sliced_02-beach_sl-04.gif

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/beach_sliced_02-beach_sl-05.gif

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/beach_sliced_02-beach_slice.gif
looks great. its really good that they have open space near the river. water stairs is what the name sugests, water running down stairs. if you've ever been to canal gardens they have water stairs outside.

I love those water stairs :)

Does any body know when is the next phase due to start at the Wellington Place development? That 'beach' does look like a rather good idea for public space at this end of Leeds though.

looks great. its really good that they have open space near the river. water stairs is what the name sugests, water running down stairs. if you've ever been to canal gardens they have water stairs outside.

The simplest explanation is usually the correct one, silly me. I do like the idea should be a nice public space, I think its just the name I dont like :dunno:

.......and here are the renders

View from International Swimming Pool looking South
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/masterplan_overhead-mast-06.jpg

View from viaduct looking East
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/masterplan_overhead-mast-07.jpg

View from train station looking North West
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/masterplan_overhead-masterp.jpg

great set of massing models (get me in effusive mood tonight). interesting to see some fairly tall buildings planned to face West Point, and the diagonal building on the riverfront giving a significant boost to the amount of public realm. the beach bit, cracking idea. Why not have something almost Continental in spirit! Lots of triangles and geometric shapes going on in the plan - bit different.

Furthermore, the massing of Whitehall Riverside, Monksbridge Works and GreenBank looks accurate, and actually gives us a real sense of size and scale of the developments in this end of town for the first time. If all this does happen (no doubt in a gradual and incremental manner), it will be epic. You wouldn't recognise it from the industrial wasteland of 5-10 years ago.

Is it me, or is that Spiracle on the far right of the last shot, left of the middle on the 2nd? - the cylinder at the side of the ringroad - assumedly on the pool site.

Yes, it is the Spiracle.

Yes, not to be confused with Isis's cylindrical tower which is also on there.

As for Wellington Place itself, there certainly are some new taller blocks on Northern Street opposite West Point, unless they are part of an older scheme which was replaced by the one we are currently expecting.

Number 2, Wellington Place was completed within the last year.


http://www.wellingtonplace.co.uk/images/number_2/intro/large_image.jpg

http://www.wellingtonplace.co.uk/images/image_gallery/new1.jpg

http://www.wellingtonplace.co.uk/images/image_gallery/new2.jpg

http://www.wellingtonplace.co.uk/images/image_gallery/new4.jpg

http://www.wellingtonplace.co.uk/images/image_gallery/4.jpg

http://www.wellingtonplace.co.uk/images/image_gallery/9.jpg

http://www.wellingtonplace.co.uk/images/image_gallery/7.jpg

http://www.wellingtonplace.co.uk/images/image_gallery/11.jpg

A new masterplan has been submitted for outline planning up to 20 storeys. (06/06824/OT) Also, there is a separate application for a marketing suite to be built. (06/06713/FU).

this sounds promising after a few years of plans, there seems to be something concrete in place. I'm sure as soon as the marketing site is in place they'll want to crack on with this huge project.

If I remember wasn't the previous highest building 15 storeys?

I thought it was 16 or 17 storeys

A new masterplan has been submitted for outline planning up to 20 storeys. (06/06824/OT) Also, there is a separate application for a marketing suite to be built. (06/06713/FU).

great find - good to see a bit of progression here. I guess the 20 storey is the tall building directly across the road from West Point (hopefully blocking it out for those unlucky punters viewing it on the train). this really is a crucial development IMO, will be a new gateway to the city and should hopefully integrate the river and canal side.

nothing pains me more in Leeds than the sight of the derelict Aireside Retail Park festering as developments spring up all around.

life's a beach! http://www.ypn.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=55&ArticleID=1910750

8-10 year project! It was a 10 year project when first launched in 2001 - there's risk adverse and then there's sheer frustrating lack of progress (see also Criterion Place and City One)

atleast things are slowly moving forword and hopfully Criterion Place and City One will also move forword eventualy

Fantastic news about Martha Schwarz, one of the most forward-thinking, internationally recognised landscape architects. I've always wanted her to do a major square or suchlike in Leeds. Even if this is just a temporary installation, it will be interesting to go and see and should attract a decent amount of attention. The sheer bizarreness of seeing 4 m high pieces of furniture by such people as Mies Van de Rohe and Calatrava will be great.
This is being considered by the plans panel this week. It seems Martha Schwarz may be involved wth the whole masterplan as well, butthis is not entirely clear from the workshop minutes.

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/moderngov/Published/C00000173/M00001080/AI00003982/$NotesofMeetingWorkshopAireside14906.docA.ps.pdf

Carey Jones are still doing the masterplan as well it seems, strange then that they've completely changed the whole thing.

Some interestig notes about the plans, including this statement which grabbed my attention, "New north/south route from the Wellington St/Wellington Pl junction can be achieved but through an existing building. Radical thinking is to remove a recently constructed building. ????? Wonder which this is???

West Point, oh please God West Point...

Subliving.

West Point, oh please God West Point...

Subliving.

If not, it could really only be this...

http://www.leodis.net/imagesLeodis/screen/16/2002812_98618716.jpg

If not, it could really only be this...

http://www.leodis.net/imagesLeodis/screen/16/2002812_98618716.jpg

Not sure about that one, old man. Looking at this:


http://www.wellingtonplace.co.uk/www/urbandesign/images/masterplan_overhead.jpg


makes me think that the PWC Building will stay. There is, however, a little Lego development next door to the recently completed No 2 Wellington Place. I can't see it on the aerial view above.

I really like that building, low-rise but nicely built so i doubt they would tear that down.

Down with West Point.

Not going to happen, is it?

You never know. It could happen, and would explain why they're pissing into the wind with that green bit that they've stuck on the back. Maybe they're just playing about with it at this stage. We can hope.

Subliving.

A full article in last weeks Estates Gazette identifies the completion date for Wellington Place as 2015.

A full article in last weeks Estates Gazette identifies the completion date for Wellington Place as 2015.

Think they missed a 0 of there.

Subliving.

In last Thursdays YEP, planning permission was granted for something of 20 stories on this site.

Well, it wasn't granted in the YEP, but you know, it reported the permission. Or was it just the application?

Like in the yep it is usally a start of wrong or unexplored info.
but hopefully the 20 storey tower will go up.

A full article in last weeks Estates Gazette identifies the completion date for Wellington Place as 2015.

right, better have a nibble at that. 2015 isn't that bad really - 8 years will make me 36. Argh, perhaps not. At least we've seen some positive movement recently and the taller blocks at the Wellington Street end are certainly welcome.

The "Green Room" has been passed by the council, should look good when it's done.
I think the YEP is getting confused with outline and detailed planing. An outline planning appication went in for the whole masterplan 2 weeks ago which was for buildings up to 20 storeys. Detailed planning cant be sought until outline is granted, and they are going to work on the landscaping and public realm before developeing any more buildings.

Why are the YEP so inept in reporting these things! :tearhairout:

Dec Economy bulletin comes up trumps, perhaps, if its true, but then we've heard nothing to the contrary, and half the Aireside Retail Park is cleared and ready for a start.

Hermes and MEPC have submitted a revised planning application for the £1bn, 22-acre mixed-use Wellington Place project in Leeds. The revised plan will upgrade the public realm,creating two open spaces and a riverside ‘urban beach’. The 2.7m sq ft of office, residential, retail and leisure stock granted consent in 2004 will be unchanged. Work on a first phase of offices will start next year, with completion of the entire scheme expected in 2015.

With Green Bank, this western side of Leeds could really be a hive of activity in 2007 with a plethora of projects all underway.

Hermes are making a start with this:

06/06713/FU/C

Wellington Place General Partner Ltd

Part single and part two storey marketing suite building with exhibition space, office, meeting room and lounge bar

Off Wellington Place
Leeds
LS1

Approved 05/02/07


This approved application follows on from an approval given in December to the developers' proposal to create an oversized artistic installation at one corner of the site. The whole will start at the corner of Wellington Street and Northern Street and will run back towards the centre of the site. One of the things that impressed members of the Plans Panel was the fact the Hermes were proposing to spend a considerable sum of money on what will be a temporary installation as a means of raising the profile of the site overall and generating interest among potential tenants.

nice to see that this is coming along. I'd be more encouraged by the start of the first office block, but the marketing suite should show us some good renders and marketing bumpf perhaps.

There's been a bit of activity along the Northern Street/Whitehall Road corner of the site, although whether they're preparing for the marketing suite or just tidying up a pretty scruffy part of town is anyone's guess.

More to the point, though, is the fact that the revised outline planning application went to yesterday's meeting of the City Centre Plans Panel. It is a pretty huge report which you can read for yourselves on the City Council's website. But some salient features are:

A slight scaling back on the overall size of the developments (for example, 540 flats instead of the 650 originally proposed) with a corresponding increase in public open space
A much larger cultural building (though its use is yet to be defined)
A "wall" of 10-storey office blocks along Whitehall Road (these would be the first part of the development to take place)
The demolition of No 1 Wellington Place


This last is about the only controversial feature of the revised proposal, given that it was only built a few years ago. But the developers argue that this will be the main entrance to Wellington Place and there needs to be a landmark building to mark it. Hence their proposal for something of 16-18 storeys as a replacement.

The tone of the whole paper is that this revised proposal is an improvement on the original and the Civic Trust is also enthusiastic in its support for the scheme and its revisions. So, it seems that we have the makings of a quality development. I have a faint hope that it starts before TCS begin work on their next block along the riverside. That way, we might get an improvement in what TCS are offering the city.

From the Leeds Building Thread:

Well MFI are still there, in apparent splendid isolation, in the middle of the site.

That really is a pain into why they are apparently staying put and why couldn't they have moved to somewhere like Crown Point to allow this development to occur and the Aireside Retail Park stands really as an anachronism amongst much higher density development and the blight really is a bad thing with Jolly Giant, Sound Control et al or whoever was there lying completely empty. Is it true even though MFI were in a lot of trouble with their profitability that store was their most profitable? Also is the car park there one which you have to pay for and doesn't the man in the booth get annoyed if you use it for anything else which is quite easy considering its only MFI whats there? :bash:

There's been a bit of activity along the Northern Street/Whitehall Road corner of the site, although whether they're preparing for the marketing suite or just tidying up a pretty scruffy part of town is anyone's guess.

More to the point, though, is the fact that the revised outline planning application went to yesterday's meeting of the City Centre Plans Panel. It is a pretty huge report which you can read for yourselves on the City Council's website. But some salient features are:

A slight scaling back on the overall size of the developments (for example, 540 flats instead of the 650 originally proposed) with a corresponding increase in public open space
A much larger cultural building (though its use is yet to be defined)
A "wall" of 10-storey office blocks along Whitehall Road (these would be the first part of the development to take place)
The demolition of No 1 Wellington Place




So No1 Wellington Place is being demolished even though its only a few years old. Does anyone know what this looks like and another thing is why is it taking such an unbelievably long time to complete this development which had started many years ago with developments such as the Price Waterhouse Coopers offices and the Crowne Plaza Hotel both of which adjoin to this site. Wonder what this cultural facility would be? Would it be a new art gallery, museum or maybe a new concert hall? Do you have any pictures of this planning application?

..

exactly how old is no1 wellington place ?

Anyone got a picture of it?

Does anyone have any pictures of No 1. WP? is that rather snappy looking 3/4 storey one fronting Wellington street?

Sound Control is still open I think - it was a couple of weeks back

Does anyone have any pictures of No 1. WP? is that rather snappy looking 3/4 storey one fronting Wellington street?

The picture that di Livio sent in #110 is I think it.

Gutted, i really like that building, cant they knock down West Point instead??? hehe

A slight scaling back on the overall size of the developments (for example, 540 flats instead of the 650 originally proposed) with a corresponding increase in public open space
A much larger cultural building (though its use is yet to be defined)
A "wall" of 10-storey office blocks along Whitehall Road (these would be the first part of the development to take place)
The demolition of No 1 Wellington Place

Is the beach still in the plans for this development? I think thats the best part of the development and along with this 'cultural building' will draw 'ordinary people' down to this area which was in danger of becoming lifeless with blocks of glass everywhere.

Its good that the council has finally realised that too many apartments are spoiling the city and that more public space is on offer, which is fantastic, Leeds needs anouther square, there's only Millenium really because city square is divided up by roads. I suppose the 'wall' is to try and make Leeds seem more like a bigger city, this area has buildings that are on average about 7 storeys each which gives it that larger city feel so i guess thats what that is for which i suppose is good so that the area doesn't look un-even.

Even though the no1 Wellington place building looks nice, if there's a quality building of 16-18 storeys on offer, im for its demolition, its not that much of a special building. Anyway fingers crossed this gets a move on quickly.

whats the Wall?

^^ A wall of 10 storey blocks along the road.

The report says it's glass clad, to mimic Lumiere on its side.

The picture that di Livio sent in #110 is I think it.

No, the building under threat is the one to the right of the block in #110. It's quite small, inoffensive and utterly unmemorable.

No, the building under threat is the one to the right of the block in #110. It's quite small, inoffensive and utterly unmemorable.

Phew, thanks Aviator, i was a bit worried that they would be knocking down a rather respectable building in a time when offensive looking buildings have recently been build (West Point for example). I do hope they knock it down for something rather special (and tall).

From the Yorkshire Evening Post today:


What goes up...must come down

Wellington Place demolition?



Offices opened just five years ago are already earmarked for demolition as the frantic pace of development in Leeds hots up.
Planners have agreed Number One Wellington Place, on the site of the former Leeds Central railway station off Wellington Street, can be bulldozed as part of a major redevelopment to transform the Aireside retail centre and adjoining land.
And in a separate project in nearby Queen Street, the city centre plans panel also agreed Prince William House – an office block built in the mid 1980s – can be knocked down to make way for new offices.
The massive Wellington Place development includes offices, apartments, a hotel, shops, restaurants and cafes. An "urban beach" of paved and grassed terraces will be created on the River Aire.
The aim will be to create a largely car-free environment and a series of underground car parks, linked by tunnels.
Councillors were told a shallow "mini-canal" would run through the site to the beach area. At the heart of the scheme will be a major public square similar in size to Millennium Square.
The three-storey, grade-two listed former railway lifting tower will be brought back into use, possibly as a cafe, bar or restaurant.
On the proposed demolition of such a new building as One Wellington Place, a report to the panel said: "While unusual, this is considered acceptable." It said that as the scheme was to be built in phases, the building would be about 15-years-old by the time it was due to be replaced. The report added its demolition allowed for a more efficient use of the site and it would be replaced by a more environmentally-friendly, low-carbon building.
Under the phasing timetable, it is planned that buildings fronting Whitehall Road – which is to be widened and a cycle way laid out – are built first.
The panel approved in principle the application submitted by Wellington Place General Partner Ltd.
Coun Amanda Carter (Con, Calverley and Farsley), who chairs the panel, said: "This is another tremendously exciting development for Leeds that will help transform a forgotten part of the city centr.
"The urban beach will be the first of its kind in the UK."
Coun Elizabeth Minkin (Lab, Kirkstall) praised the approach taken by the developers and added: "This has the potential to be really wonderful."
It is one of a series of schemes in the pipeline for the western end of the city centre, including the Lumiere skyscrapers in Wellington Street and the redevelopment of the Leeds International Pool in Westgate.
david.marsh@ypn.co.uk

The MFI aspect is something of a red herring. And Val, you answered your own question about why they don't want to leave, if this store really is still their most profitable.

This is an enormous scheme, and we don't lose anything through staged construction. We'd be delighted to see any single one of these buildings built if there were on individual plots around the city. It's natural to be impatient but it's rare that a project of this scale gets built in one go. In that respect, Leeds is fortunate with the Eastgate/Harewood quarter, which is scheduled to be built in one go; we'd be extremely lucky to have two projects like that.

This will be good when it's finished, and it will be fun to watch it develop.

I dont mind them knocking buildings down if theyre going to make better ad larger good schemes but i want to see it start.Its around the size and stature of eastgate so it will take a while to do but id like to see some secure project info ect.

The building to be demolished is now 5 years old - but will be 15 years old when actually knocked down. That means we will have to wait AT LEAST ten years before completion of the whole scheme.

..

The building to be demolished is now 5 years old - but will be 15 years old when actually knocked down. That means we will have to wait AT LEAST ten years before completion of the whole scheme.

Yes. This isn't news, Fred. What's your point?

Yes. This isn't news, Fred. What's your point?

My point is that demolishing a 15 year old building will not seem quite so outrageous as doing the same to a 5 year old building.

My point is that demolishing a 15 year old building will not seem quite so outrageous as doing the same to a 5 year old building.

If it's going anyway no difference if they were to knock it down tomorrow ! 5, 10, 15 years time ? So what.

They state it is a good thing as the new building will be more environmentally friendly - wonder how much pollution/waste it will cause to demolish and rebuild?
What a sign of confidence/progress it is that they are knocking down a perfectly good new building!...
Many cities would love a huge new office block like that in the centre and we're knocking it down!

...Many cities would love a huge new office block like that in the centre and we're knocking it down!

I think the whole point of the demolition proposal is that it isn't a huge office block. Its replacement will be!

If it's going anyway no difference if they were to knock it down tomorrow ! 5, 10, 15 years time ? So what.

Well some people (as reported in the YEP) apparently think there is a difference and expressed outrage that a buliding erected so recently would be demolished. It doesn't particularly worry me.

..

I just hope the 'correction' the world markets are currently going through (sell, sell!) ends soon. Ten years is a long time, economically speaking...

Just in case if anyone wondered as I was here is a picture I took of Number 1 Wellington Place:

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/5279/dsc00195wh1.jpg

Whilst quite dull in my book and not having any architectural significance it is rather unusual such a relatively new building is to be demolished as part of this development. Does anyone know how any replacement building on this plot of land will look and on the wider scale when the next phase will actually commence?

Judging by that photo, we're not losing much in its demolition, it looks tiny compared to that newer building next to it and hardely looks like a great office building for Leeds size, if that is getting knocked down for an 18 storey new glass office then I for one am not complaining.

Absolutely. I don't think there is an issue with it.

Hopefully someone can clear this up......

The Green Corridor, which has planning approval, is to stretch from the corner of Northen Street and Wellington Street (i.e where those blue metal planting frames used to be) diagonally through the site towards the cleared former retail park units where football pitches are to be placed........

so.... is this not directly through the existing retail park, and in particular MFI?
The Green Corridor/Red Carpet is to be the first phase built, along with the marketing suite, so surely this requires the removal of the remaining retail units first??!!

Has anyone seen the plans?

The developers' second lots of proposals for temporary art installations, sound and light exhibitions, etc, have just been approved by the Planning Panel. It would be good to see some movement here, if only to give us an indication of what might follow. I seem to recall the Panel was quite impressed by how much MEPC were prepared to invest in what is designed to be piece of ephemera.

Just in case if anyone wondered as I was here is a picture I took of Number 1 Wellington Place:

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/5279/dsc00195wh1.jpg

Whilst quite dull in my book and not having any architectural significance it is rather unusual such a relatively new building is to be demolished as part of this development. Does anyone know how any replacement building on this plot of land will look and on the wider scale when the next phase will actually commence?

c'mon all. Loosing this block is no biggy. Certainly not a piece of outstanding architecture. I think the plan shows one of the 15-20 storey blocks on this site. I know its a bit different, but there are so many warehouse type developments (think Birstall Retail Park) that are built incredibly cheaply, and can be torn down a couple of years later for a more temporary structure. MEPC are clearly v. bullish and confident about getting this scheme right. At least its not like the debate at Harewood/Eastgate where we are loosing a bit of proper history in the Chinatown building.

Points to aviator for use of the word ephemera in a public skyscraper forum. :)

At least its not like the debate at Harewood/Eastgate where we are loosing a bit of proper history in the Chinatown building.

The only bit of real Leeds history we would be losing there would be the Lyons tailoring factory that made clothes under the 'Alexandre' label.

Hopefully someone can clear this up......

The Green Corridor, which has planning approval, is to stretch from the corner of Northen Street and Wellington Street (i.e where those blue metal planting frames used to be) diagonally through the site towards the cleared former retail park units where football pitches are to be placed........

so.... is this not directly through the existing retail park, and in particular MFI?
The Green Corridor/Red Carpet is to be the first phase built, along with the marketing suite, so surely this requires the removal of the remaining retail units first??!!

MEPC are obviously not wasting any time on this project. There are two demolition crews on site at the moment. One is pulling down the unit opposite MFI while the other is starting demolition at the corner of Northern Street and Whitehall Road, so three cheers for that.

Having said that, I'm with you on being puzzled about how these installations will fit around MFI. I guess we'll have a better idea in a week or two when the demolition men have done their bit.

MEPC are obviously not wasting any time on this project. There are two demolition crews on site at the moment. One is pulling down the unit opposite MFI while the other is starting demolition at the corner of Northern Street and Whitehall Road, so three cheers for that.

Having said that, I'm with you on being puzzled about how these installations will fit around MFI. I guess we'll have a better idea in a week or two when the demolition men have done their bit.

Excellent to see the start of (albiet partial) demolition of the Aireside Centre although it is an end of an era to see the demolition of the old Jolly Giant Toy Store and Centre 4 Arcade Complex which I believe have both been empty for at least a decade. I presume they will keep the still open units standing whilst they demolish the rest?

Does anyone have any recollections of either as I remember playing Ridge Racer when Centre 4 opened in about 1993 and having an recalled it had an odd token system as opposed to standard cash and is a shame nothing like that exists in Leeds anymore (although I guess with Playstations and X-Boxes something like Centre 4 is quite pointless to have in this day and age). Does this mean the next phase of construction is imminent and could someone take some pictures of the demolition?

Ermmm, Im sure it has been said before but Im too hung over to look through but where will the beach be in this development?

A couple of pics to show where the demolition is taking place. In the background of the first shot, you can see the back of the small block that's under threat of demolition.



http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/16%20March%202007/P1010124.jpg?t=1174126425



http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/16%20March%202007/P1010125.jpg?t=1174126711



http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/16%20March%202007/P1010127.jpg?t=1174126781



Just looking at these pics brings home to me the sheer bloody awfulness of this "retail park". And I cannot imagine for one minute that MFI will want to sit it out there in splendid isolation until the end of their lease. Here's hoping, anyway.

Is that 'Centre 4' biting the dust?

A couple of pics to show where the demolition is taking place.

That's a delight to see it go...

The block next to Sound Control just has the front remaining now, and the former Jolly Giant has had the roof removed. There were quite a few people working on site today.

great stuff. I don't actually have an issue with the concept of the Aireside Retail Park - it replaced heavy industrial land (ex station sidings as well I think), and to be fair served its purpose through the 1980s and 1990s before the city renaissance truely got underway. What it means is that you have a relatively easy demolition task on a huge site, and suddenly you have a prime development site in the West End of the City, good to go. Clearly Hermes / MEPC have been planning this for the long-term (the initial info published around 2002 said it was a 10 year plan, so we're not that far out if they get cracking now), and if this is the actual start of construction on site, then marvellous.

And it gave us Centre4 to entertain us in the 90's!

And it gave us Centre4 to entertain us in the 90's!

Sweet memories... all those tokens!

Oh I forgot to mention the guy in soundcontrol told me they would be moving shortly 'just down the road'. Not sure where that would be, perhaps towards Readmans.

They were making a right racket in the unit next door :nuts:

Oh I forgot to mention the guy in soundcontrol told me they would be moving shortly 'just down the road'. Not sure where that would be, perhaps towards Readmans.

They were making a right racket in the unit next door :nuts:

I'm glad sound control isn't disappearing completely as its a pretty good shop. Hopefully it won't be too far out.

I'm glad sound control isn't disappearing completely as its a pretty good shop. Hopefully it won't be too far out.

There is another one in sheepscar also y'know.

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/5118/untitled1copyrs6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://www.westendleeds.com/westendleeds2.swf

Interesting site, also has the first glimpse of the monkbridge office block if you have a snoop around. :)

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/5118/untitled1copyrs6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://www.westendleeds.com/westendleeds2.swf

Interesting site, also has the first glimpse of the monkbridge office block if you have a snoop around. :)

brilliant find there sport. Good to see all the developers details up there in lights. The usual suspects. Notice the International Pool site simply has HBG's logo and no renderings. You clearly know more about what's going on around here than most of us evenflow. A steady drip of info will keep us keen!

The Latitude (Monksbridge Works) block looks a tad dull though. Shame. The Wellington Place masterplan is going to be fairly colossal. Can't picture the area in 7-10 years - complete transformation.

the resolution of the website is fairly rubbish, though maybe its my Mac settings playing up.

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/5118/untitled1copyrs6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://www.westendleeds.com/westendleeds2.swf

Interesting site, also has the first glimpse of the monkbridge office block if you have a snoop around. :)

This looks just great, and the brilliant, gorgeous Lumiere is there too in full splendor... nice model.

the resolution of the website is fairly rubbish, though maybe its my Mac settings playing up.

Don't do it old boy your settings are ok ! Same here too :ohno:

I'm not seeing a problem :S

However. The UK map on that site is terrible. Birmingham, Glasgow and Edinburgh aren't even close! All the rest are a little off too.

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/5118/untitled1copyrs6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://www.westendleeds.com/westendleeds2.swf

Interesting site, also has the first glimpse of the monkbridge office block if you have a snoop around. :)



WOW!!...this is fantastic for Leeds. There can't be many cities in the UK which have one single development creating 3 million sq ft of office/leisure and residential space......and thats without all the other developments going on or in planning.

Nice render. So does this mean that the whole development will have glass cladding now as opposed to the mostly terracotta with some glass of previous renders or is it purely a concept of who the area could develop?

I envisage it looking like the More London development. Nice!

Subliving.

According to estates gazette, MEPC are going to build the first block or two speculatively, and hope to certainly be on site before the end of the year, assuming planning permission is straightforward.
It also mentions that Kenmore will be submitting permission for Bridge House ASAP and that Mcaleer may well build City Square House speculatively as they think it is such a prime site that tenants will want to sign up in the near future.

Rooted around and found these. Great news about the Lazarus-like movement on Bridge House btw, this area's going to be tasty in a few years time.



http://www.wpes.co.uk/images/about_pic.jpg




http://www.wpes.co.uk/images/specification_pic2.jpg



Looks like the clever people at MEPC are hiring out the 'grey-field' space for events.

http://www.wpes.co.uk/index.html

Interesting snippet:
15.12.06
Sainsbury’s is evaluating the cost efficiency of its London headquarters compared with locations outside the capital.
A provisional location shortlist has been narrowed down to the north-west M25, south-west M25, Bristol and Leeds.

Swindon and Manchester were among the areas originally considered but are thought to have since been discounted.
It is thought that MEPC’s Wellington Place in Leeds is also being considered. No parties would comment.
http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=36&storycode=3078898



Wouldn't that be a coup for Leeds/Leeds City region with Asda & Sainsburys in Leeds and Morrisons in Bradford...

Hope the above is still true

Rooted around and found these. Great news about the Lazarus-like movement on Bridge House btw, this area's going to be tasty in a few years time.



http://www.wpes.co.uk/images/about_pic.jpg




http://www.wpes.co.uk/images/specification_pic2.jpg



Looks like the clever people at MEPC are hiring out the 'grey-field' space for events.

http://www.wpes.co.uk/index.html


Those are great pics you've rooted out, di Livio - yet another feather in your cap! That first render captures beautifully the density this west end of the city will have if everything proposed for the area goes through.

I guess the events space must be the area on the corner of Whitehall Road and Northern Street - it's being fenced off as we speak.

Agree these are excellent pictures and this would surely be an excellent development and lets hope Sainsburys choose Leeds it would surely be a great boon to have three of the big four supermarkets headquarted in and around Leeds. Is it all to be glass cladded now as surely it would be better to have variety on this very large site and what will the first phases of this constuction consist of? Has anyone occupied the most recent phase of this development yet as when I last looked at it had looked rather empty.

the first massing model has all the major west end schemes on. Left to right with the Spiracle, Wellington Place, Lumiere, Latitude at Monksbridge Works and Green Bank poking out at the bottom, and then Granary Wharf.

I love how green the river / canal bit is at the bottom right.

The Wellington Place blocks are really quite nutty shapes - no accusations of dull boxes coming from me.

Talk about your dose of Dr Density there team!

I notice Criterion Place doesn't appear though..

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u85/jinky-org/welliplace.jpg

^^ just an view of the area now

This just shows how big an arwea all this development is covering, including Monkbridge and Greenbank, this must be at least a quarter the size of the existing whole centrer size

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u85/jinky-org/big.jpg

I thought that the 'beach' was due to be constructed for this summer and that that and the cultural building were to be amongst the first phases of the scheme? Looks like thats not happening, shame a beach would have been great - esp now they have two in Birmingham!

The beach is still in the plans, its not a conventional sandy beach, its modern and arstisic, i think its decking, on multi-levels with plants at the bottom making a more naturalistic entrance to the water, not that anyone would go into the water.

ugh. sand is SO much better. if we dont get it there, i'll be campaigning for a summer beach on south facing millennium sq or perhaps at warehouse hill - a great use of a prime unused waterside location, could be surrounded by cafes, bars, restaurants and perhaps a nice gallery...and just be a pleasant multi use public square in the winter

Sand is difficult though, it would get dirty and need re-laying, Leeds can get quite windy as well i mean we had a tornado last year could you imagine the sand everywhere! I think decking has a bit of class to it and is a bit more unique especially in the way its designed in this development.

ugh. sand is SO much better.Then where would we put the rat poison ?

Sand is good but I don't think it would have the same attractiveness on a river. Maybe around Kirkstall would be good for a sandy beach... Clarence Dock- just after the Weir; I would guess the water is cleaner there as the Weir catches all the rubbish..

I thought that the 'beach' was due to be constructed for this summer and that that and the cultural building were to be amongst the first phases of the scheme? Looks like thats not happening, shame a beach would have been great - esp now they have two in Birmingham!

I think you might have misunderstood. The plan is to build a *temporary* beach - with sand! - and a visitor centre/sales office, along with an outdoor art installation (to resemble a scaled up living room) before work starts on the actual Wellington Place project. The temporary beach might be better described as an oversized sandpit, and it isn't by the river! Remember Wellington Place has approval in outline - we've yet to see any of the actual proposed buildings here. It'll be a long term project, and eventually the temporary beach and sales office will be removed - the idea behind those is to get people interested in what is being built around here and pull more people to this end of town.

The eventual beach will be on the river, and I think there will be sand of some description - in a way, the temporary beach is a trial run - along with various levels of decking and planting. But the final landscape scheme is also yet to be approved.

Must stress this is a concept. Can't see them going with this one - fairly unambitious.


http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Wellington%20Place/beach_sliced_02.gif

So really, what we're looking at here is a Clarence Dock style project, in terms of phases over a 5+ year period?

So really, what we're looking at here is a Clarence Dock style project, in terms of phases over a 5+ year period?

Well, if you look at the pictures posted at the top of this page, there are about fourteen big buildings proposed as part of this development. And it's a massive area. Building them all at once would be a huge undertaking. Eastgate and Harewood is going to be built in one go, but that's the exception rather than the rule. I don't have a clue what the phasing will be like for Wellington Place (one building at a time, a 'quarter' at a time, or what) but they won't all go up at once.

aren't the plans to build along whitehall road first? i'd like to see the beach when it's done , any ideas of when it's being installed?

The fenced off area where (presumably) the events space is to be.



http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/23%20May%202007/P1010045.jpg?t=1180097969

Me again!

More signs of life being put up around the perimeter fencing:


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/30%20May%202007/P1010108.jpg?t=1180643335

Town Square.. City Square. Surely Wellington Square would be a better name?

Me again!

More signs of life being put up around the perimeter fencing:


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/30%20May%202007/P1010108.jpg?t=1180643335


That's a Krispy Kreme, finger lickin' render you've got there.

But importing Manchester's gay village to Wellington Street, what's all that about?

There already is a canal street in Leeds, no?

..

does anyone else think the scheme could actually benefit by having a through (traffic) road at some point, making it more 'alive' and ensuring a stream of ppl, not being a dangerous area at night etc...and also is it to be believed that the "canal st" will actually be an extension of the canal up to the main square (please not called town sq!) along a pedestrian precinct - this would be fantastic. i hope a range of shops, cafes, bars etc are incorporated. the cultural building excites me too, leeds is SO lacking in cultural draws

I think maybe I agree about some roads- but Whitehall Road will do this to some extent. Bearing in mind that by then, the City Centre will have expanded out and Whitehall Road/Wellington Road are likely to be much busier than they are now with the development to the west of the city.

I dont remember anything about a gay village. But if there was to be one created, Lower Briggate would be the best place, no? Bridge End is the only area of the riverside undeveloped really, it could be expanded over the Aire and a gay district encouraged to grow in that area.

I think maybe I agree about some roads

Sitting on the fence a bit there mate! ;)

OK well. I think pedestrianisation is good. But 2 reasons I like roads:
-Safety (as mentioned).
-They provide a buzz that pedestrianisation doesn't.

Wellington Place is a dense development to be crowned at the ends with Lumiere, Monkbridge and Greenbank, as well as a peak of 16 storeys (most th site is 8-10 storeys?). In other words, its dense. I think maybe in some places, pedestrianisation wouldnt feel right. A canal and pedestrian areas on each side sounds good. But think of Canary Wharf- the roads running round the buildings make the place a bit more exciting. And can you imagine if a street in New York was pedestrianised. It wouldnt be right; as much as we should be discouraging cars, the traffic provides some of the atmosphere dont you think? The Headrow, Oxford Street all have a better atmosphere because of the buses etc I think. Id say smaller streets are meant for pedestrianisation, but larger ones not so. You feel like you are in a city with traffic- East Parade, City Square etc at Rush Hour feels like a big city.

..

There already is a canal street in Leeds, no?

whats the betting that they name the triangular building to the side of Canal Street (Triangle below Canal Street), thus abbreviated to TriBeCa and cheekily muscling in on New York's funky district?

Probably not, I was trying to make that fit somehow and realise it has as much wit as an end of the pier performance by the Chuckle Brothers.

Great bit of hoarding there - at least it shows they are spending some beanage on the advertising! I really hope that this trumps Brum's Brindley Place which is a little bit bland to be fair.

Lol ok! My betting isnt very high either tbh! :) At first, it was aiming to be similar to Brindley Place. I think it will be a bit more interesting now, in that developments reflect time. For example, the first phases of Leeds' redevelopment featured buildings like the ones on Whitehall Riverside, but as time has progressed designs have too to things like BWP, Lumiere..

In a way, we could have an advantage in being the last to develop over other cities. Wellington Place, a little better than Brindley Place. Eastgate Qtrs, a little better than Bullring. Clarence Dock, better than Salford Quays. Purely becase obviously people always try and improve on whats been done before. The same principle can be used with Harvey Nichols. While HN Leeds was the first outside London, it could be argued that Edinburgh, Manchester (maybe not Birmingham as its small format) are better. So, hopefully Wellington Quays will turn out to be a strong development :)

Clarence Dock, better than Salford Quays.

hmm salford quays and media city is miles better than the clarence dock development unfortunately.

i hate to burst your bubble but there is NO WAY clarence dock is anything like as good as salford quays or has potential to be. The level of architecture is nowehere near as high, the Lowry, Imperial War North etc are stunning buildings are whilst CD is attractive its like comparing City Square to Piazza Navona! Plus the Salford Quays is a larger area and the docks and canal are much wider therefore more impressive. Also the tram linkage helps. There is the opportunity to turn CD into a more intergrated and alive city centre area of shops restaurants bars etc tho than SQ but it'll never be more striking or attractive etc, unless they building a stunning new museum or completely redo the Royal Armouries externally!

Also, HN in edinburgh is always nearly empty, makes nothing like as much profit, the building isnt as attractive, it doesnt have the same range or callibre of brands inside, its location (whilst on a little modern high-end shopping st) has nothing like the prestige or architectural merit of the VQ, etc... Leeds' is far better. And the Manc one whilst more spacious is not quite as atmospheric or buzzing and the building is basically just a glass block...

Media City hasn't been built yet... and by that principle (as well as the fact its intending a different purpose), would be "better". Salford Quays at the moment though, I disagree. I find it to be a cold and deserted place that needs some life. Its got too many brick buildings built when regeneration just started, instead of the striking glass, metallic and stone types seen today in proposals at Salford Quays, and constructions at Clarence Dock. The Imperial War Museum North is good though as a building, even though the Royal Armouries is better in terms of exhibitions.

Its funny, the big developments we talk about all the time like say criterion etc are the ones that take ages to come to frutition, yet the really good ones just spring up very quickly and digging gets underway, such as lumiere, granarywharf, and now welling place.

I really think we are underestimating wellington place and how it will change leeds. The scheme looks huge, and will completely transform Leeds financial quarter. It reminds me of London has it where you have certain financial areas such as liverpool street and the docklands area. Dont forget Leeds sometimes lacks that big city feel of mancs, and this new area so close to the heart of the centre will significantly change that.

I feel bham and manchester havent got such a huge office scheme like this in the works. Just imagine when its complete, driving down whitehall roadl it will look like the financial parts of london.

I'm really surprised and happy that work is under way for this, aswell as eastgateleeds ( http://www.eastgateleeds.co.uk ) . It makes you think, Leeds really is undergoing dramatic changes, where perhaps bham hasnt.

spinningfields in manc is almost as big as wellington place i think, however there is more space and scope for office expansion in central leeds than in manc atm. in 5-10 years time i dont really think, tram, airport (tho theirs is easy to get to 24/7 by train from leeds) and arena (tho perhaps we'll have an arena by then?) aside, manchester will have anything over Leeds, and imo leeds is already a more attractive city with better historic architecture, not forgetting much greener with far more out of town attractions...

Birmingham has had the Bullring thought, its major development, and Brindley Place. I wouldnt say Manchester has more or less of a city feel than Leeds, they're pretty similar really. Leeds will get an arena eventually, the demand for one is huge, and there is alot of music in Leeds, in terms of events, but nowhere to showcase them. Leeds is on the map as far as festivals go, an arena would top it off.

media city *is* part of slaford quays and its currently under development, whereas Clarance Dock is practically built now and i feel its a shame they havent quite linked CD to the city, leaving it quite cut off and isolated even tho its only 10 mins walk away. They should have opened up more. Whereas, while salford quays and media city are a lot further from the city centre they are intrnsicly linked and the tram connection bridges them. Its a shame we are behind on that front, and there's me saying wellington place is unrivaled..

check out media city

http://www.salford.gov.uk/living/regeneration/geographicareas/quays-regen/mediacityuk.htm

its amazing. It seems the steaks are always being upped.

The location of Wellington Place allows it to automatically integrate into the city. Clarence Dock has the natural barrier of the river, then some busy roads as another barrier. I don't know how you could better connect the City and Clarence Dock though. A freecitybus south of the river was an idea.

I dont know if anyone has been to Bham recently. I had been when i was younger, like 10 years ago when I was 15. So, when going there recently i was expecting to see a dramnatically changed city with booming developments and building work like leeds. But i was shocked to see Bham looked just the same. Yes, they had the bullring (which is lovely), the mailbox ( just a large building with shops and bars nothing particulary special!), and Brindley Place (quite old and dated buildings), and thats it, everything else in bham still looks depressingly 70s concrete. I was saddened at how little the amount of development has been, unlike mancs and leeds.

As for suggesting Leeds has a city feel like Manc, i personally disagree. I'm, from london orig, and to me leeds feels small town. It has a small town centre, which is mostly low rise. Get of the train in mancs, and its like woooo everything is big, and all the edwardian old streets are 3 or 4 stories higher than Leeds. - this is the big diference. Leeds' city streets are the same number of stories high as say nottingham! Mancs is also much more cosmo compared to leeds, which again gives it that city feel.

The location of Wellington Place allows it to automatically integrate into the city. Clarence Dock has the natural barrier of the river, then some busy roads as another barrier. I don't know how you could better connect the City and Clarence Dock though. A freecitybus south of the river was an idea.

yea i know what you mean its a shame tho. Maybe they should have opened it up along the main road, instead of having a high bricked wall hiding it all.

Also, maybe a nice bridge going over the main roads taking you closer to the heart of the centre. I guess its impractical, but if implemented it would have made the world of diference

In practise yes, but in essence, thats the same idea as footbridges and segregated pedestrianisation. It doesn't work. People naturally take the quickest route (ie straight across the road). Footbridges: not good for older people, not good for disabled access, you have to go out of your way, street clutter... This was tried in the 70s and failed for these reasons.

I used to live in Eastbourne, then London before Harrogate. As for your analogy of stepping off the train, completely disagree. If you come out the train station in Leeds into City Square, it screams wealth, business, life. That is continued up Park Row and East Parade/Infirmary Street, and soon along Wellington Street. Unfourtanetley though, most people go right into the shopping areas, which are lower rise yes. Manchester probably has taller buildings (not by much though I wouldnt say) because it was a major city long before Leeds. Its only recently that Leeds has been recognised as a real rival to Manchester in all fairness, and thats down to booming developent out of the traditional financial and retail cores. The Headrow's grandeur feels city like though. There are tall buildings on it; Headrow House is 10 storeys, Basillica? its tall, and the whole axis is focused at the end on Quarry House, that while might be ugly to some, really does finish it off. Briggate has some quite large buildings if you look, but it is also an exceptionally wide street, so less imposing, and Albion Street is loomed over by City Exchange/Leeds Shopping Plaza/WRH/The Light/Basillica/Headrow House/SJ Centre. So I agree to an extent, but there are areas of density.

If you come out the train station in Leeds into City Square, it screams wealth, business, life. That is continued up Park Row and East Parade/Infirmary Street, and soon along Wellington Street.



hmm, when most people come out of the train station they come out at the M&S bit, and you come out onto a small trashy taxi and bus stand more akin to a small town in greater london. It doesnt quite encapsulate that huge feel you get when u come out the station of mancs picadilly, or drive thru mancs centre, it makes u appreciate just how small and town like is.



Manchester probably has taller buildings (not by much though I wouldnt say) because it was a major city long before Leeds. Its only recently that Leeds has been recognised as a real rival to Manchester in all fairness, and thats down to booming developent out of the traditional financial and retail cores.



Exactly, mancs is a much older city and all for many people they subconsiously measure a citys 'bigness' by the general storey level of all the main streets and parades, rather than the odd new build towers springing up.
All the streets in mancs have edwardian red brick thats several storeys higher than leeds.



The Headrow's grandeur feels city like though. There are tall buildings on it; Headrow House is 10 storeys, Basillica? Briggate has some quite large buildings if you look, but it is also an exceptionally wide street .

u been to say nottingham, or even leicester. their lower briggate equivelants looks more or less the same.

Not for a very long time, can't remember much of either. Leeds will get more of a city feel as time progresses. Opal will add some city feel to Briggate I would think; will The Plaza be visible from Briggate? Eastgate Qtrs will certainly shout city. The immediate exit from the station to New Station Street isn't that City like true, but as soon as you get off New Station Street, that changes, whether its City Sq or Albion Place. Its unfourtanate that the station is how it is. The buildings are really alright, and of sufficent height, but because New Station street rises above the level of the natural terrain on which the buildings are, which is also gradiating down, the effect becomes almost non existent. Most probably don't look back up to notice City House.

All that will be counteracted though- Leeds will feel like a city by 2009. The area outside the station may not have changed much, but imagine before even stepping off the train, the journey through the skyscraper corridor that is Lumiere, Monkbridge, Greenbank, Granary Wharf and BWP. That will feel city like, no doubt.

By the way, when you get off the train at Kings Cross, there's nothing city like! You can see the BT Tower suppose... but the buildings are all very average.

I think we're comparing historical differences here. Manchester has always been bigger than Leeds, so going back about 100 years Manchester's Victorian and later Edwardian streets of buildings probably were bigger and more extensive. However the current generation of buildings springing up in Leeds are generally comparable to Manchester's but with less of them over a smaller area, central Leeds is very compact (which is a good thing in my opinion).

Here are some pics of nottingham around the town centre, it has the same town look as leeds, :-

http://static.flickr.com/55/116824981_8b8d0a6efe.jpg?v=0

http://static.flickr.com/39/116825006_a35f105580.jpg?v=0

http://static.flickr.com/50/116825074_d3d55033a8.jpg?v=0

http://static.flickr.com/55/116825090_e48cc37e67.jpg?v=0

http://static.flickr.com/39/116825123_07e5af39c4.jpg?v=0

http://static.flickr.com/51/116825174_286105904f.jpg?v=0

http://static.flickr.com/53/116825464_756e14a118.jpg?v=0

However the current generation of buildings springing up in Leeds are generally comparable to Manchester's but with less of them over a smaller area, central Leeds is very compact (which is a good thing in my opinion).

yup thats where we come out better off, the fact that leeds is smaller yet is having much of the same pace of development.

My earlier point was more that its street level grandeur and storey hights that give an impression of the size of a city rather than the multiple new build structures randomly dotted around.

I agree that Nottingham has a town look, and Leeds does in areas. But Park Row, The Headrow, East Parade, Albion Street, Wellington Street I would disagree on. Can't think of anymore yet though.

this pic of the headrow below looks on the same league as several of the nottingham pics above. I do still feel Leeds lacks the big city feel of say mancs, and has more of a town look comparable to nottingham. Yes, i think the new developments will help give a more city feel to the centre in the future.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/Headrow.JPG/397px-Headrow.JPG

Nottingham city centre is much less extensive than Leeds, those views show good Victorian/Edwardian Streets, but there's just less of them, and as mentioned, there's very few high rises, their one great concrete block dominates the skyline.

So what's a 'city feel'? Buildings of five and six storeys? I prefer the wide streets and feeling of space you get in Leeds.

http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/6589/cityleedslp6.jpg

The red blocks are tall buildings (20+). The black lines are where I think there is a city feel, or where there will be possibly as a skyscraper corridor.

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/7599/318465518baf24e354coiy6.jpg That looks like a city. Simply because of the length of The Headrow, and the fact that the buildings are so large. It's always busy too, lots of people and buses all the time. Thats not my picture btw, it will probably be one from someone on here!

i dont know. it still looks town like to me :ohno:

i guess ultimately its all subjective anyway and based on ones past experiences too

its buildings like these that line every street in the centre around mancs that, for me, make it feel a little more like london, where as leeds' lower rise equivalents that are more a kin to nottingham, make it feel a little more town like (for me personally)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j129/van_heckler/DSC00520.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/157/422527450_404946b5a0_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/82/237177919_f4fdbf6ca6.jpg?v=0

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h24/peterquinn/MANCHESTER/LancasterHouseR.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h24/peterquinn/MANCHESTER/IndiaHouseR.jpg

..

Those are spectacular buildings in those photos of Manchester above .. credit where credit's due.

Nottingham is worth a visit for sure, it's an interesting centre with some good characterful and historic bits.

..

i dont know. it still looks town like to me :ohno:

i guess ultimately its all subjective anyway and based on ones past experiences too

It is subjective. A city you are familiar with will always fell much smaller than a similar sized one one you don't know.

But I agree with your point on Manchester's 'big city' feel being a result of its large number of taller Victorian buildings.

Furthermore I think that this perceived 'big city' feel its also down its topography and the 'boulevard effect'. A long flat high street that stretches off into the distance with tall buildings flanking it gives you a real sense of immensity. Hills and bends in the road generally don't.

The Headrow in Leeds is built on a hill and so you cannot see from one end to the other. Imagine though if it was flat and you could see from eastgte all the way down to Quarry House - what a view that would be!

Manchester is flat, leeds is built on a hill. That's one of the reasons Leeds feels more town-like. Sheffield, Bristol, and Nottingham are even hillier than Leeds, and as a result feel even more town-like.

As was mentioned earlier in this thread, with Wellington Place and Whitehall Rd Leeds does have the potential to create some truly impressive vistas - long flat straight roads flanked by a large number of uniforml;y mid-rise buildings and the odd skyscraper. The view towards City Square from the YEP building should be pretty awesome in a few years time.

I think the fella has a point. Leeds isnt really dense enough to have a city feel. Only place it does is around infirmary street, and maybe boar lane.

Whitehall Road will look good when complete.

Leeds isnt that hilly to be fair. Only a little- I mean yes its noticeable but I would never really say Leeds is "hilly". Its really just the Aire Valley thats to account for. The Headrow does feel city like- you can see from the top of The Headrow right down to Quarry House, even though you cant see the whole Headrow from any point true, there are some places where you can see alot of it. The effect will be emphasised with Eastgate/Quarry Hill/Allders completion. Leeds doesn't really have any other streets as grand as The Headrow I don't think. The A653- (Neville Street, Victoria Road, Meadow Road) corridor presents an opportunity to be very built up and city like- already does with BWP/City Walk, but its the fact the road is such a busy fast flowing trunk road that will give these feel. The same, but to a lesser extent, on East Street and again on Wellington Street, Inner Ring Road and Whitehall Road.

People may think Leeds doesn't feel like a city in most parts, but in a way, thats not really important, is it? The basic fact is that Leeds IS one of the biggest and most important cities in the UK. Somewhere like Liverpool might feel more City Like, but it doesnt have the same importance as Leeds. Manchester "feels" city like, but Edinburgh, that doesnt feel as City like, has the importance there.

..

What do people make of this snippet from Prospect magazine.
It's about Mohammed Sidique Khan, but it seems to have some relevance to what's been discussed so far. Is Leeds really that different from other UK cities in terms of its suburbs?

Prospect
Shiv Malik
June 2007 | 135 » Cover story » My brother the bomber

The suburbs of Leeds, unlike those of other British metropolises, have not been cowed by the centre. The centre of Leeds is actually quite small, so the suburbs are not just points on the spokes of a giant wheel, but are integral to the city. Horsforth, Adel, Belle Isle, Harehills: these are distinct small towns, each with its own character. Headingley is famous for its cricket ground, Kirkstall for its medieval abbey, and so on.

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What do people make of this snippet from Prospect magazine.
It's about Mohammed Sidique Khan, but it seems to have some relevance to what's been discussed so far. Is Leeds really that different from other UK cities in terms of its suburbs?

Belle Isle ? What a load of B*oll*cks !

Lol thats rubbish! Each suburb has character yes, but its the same in any city. They are still joined to the centre as one city. Its probably even more true in London where the suburbs really do have strong identities.

Prospect
Shiv Malik
June 2007 | 135 » Cover story » My brother the bomber

The suburbs of Leeds, unlike those of other British metropolises, have not been cowed by the centre. The centre of Leeds is actually quite small, so the suburbs are not just points on the spokes of a giant wheel, but are integral to the city. Horsforth, Adel, Belle Isle, Harehills: these are distinct small towns, each with its own character. Headingley is famous for its cricket ground, Kirkstall for its medieval abbey, and so on.

I think it's a good point. I've always regarded Leeds as being more similar to London on a much smaller scale than cities like Manchester and Birmingham.

This I believe is down to the 'suburbs' actually being more like urban villages with defined centres and the close proximity of upmarket areas to deprived areas (e.g. Chapel Allerton and Chapeltown, Roundhay and Harehills), in some cases you can go from wealth to relative poverty in the space of 2 streets. This is very much the case in London too, there are some areas that are generally regarded as very upmarket that have pockets of real deprivation.

From what I have seen of other English cities, with the exception of the city centre developments, the area demographics tend to gradually merge from upmarket to downmarket without the 'side by side' feel that Leeds and London have.

Maybe because many of Leeds' suburbs were once towns and villages that have now been taken in by the city; the further out of the city you go, the more identity places get.